Hogwarts reads Book 1
by hplover1999
Summary: In Harry Potters fourth year before the guest come Dumbledore finds a boxs of seven books Hogwarts must read together. First Fanfiction. Update every two weeks.
1. The Boy Who Lived Part 1

**_First Fanfiction No Flames Please. Everything in bold is owned by J.K. Rowling_**

It was a new day in the Hogwarts Castle and the students were going to the Great Hall for breakfast. When all of the students were there they were both happy (except the Slytherins) to see Albus Dumbledore sitting in the headmasters chair. They did not usally see him in the morning. As soon as everybody sat down he stood up and said "this morning I have received a package of seven books. I believe that they are about Mr. Potter. Oh great Snape thought we get to here more about the Golden Boy. "It will start in his first year and end at the end of his seventh year."said Albus. No thought Harry everybody is going to hear my thoughts. "We are going to read the first chapter now and take a break to eat breakfast before we continue." Said Albus. Everybody was interested. We get to hear about all the things that Harry does thought all of his friends. All of the Slytherins were in a very bad mood. All of a sudden Umbridge and Fudge walked in. The students would not find out who Umbridge was untill next year but they could tell that she was very unpleasent. Umbrige already thought that Harry must be dark and told lies.

**Chapter One The Boy Who Lived**

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four Privet Drive were proud to say that they were perfectly normal thank you very much.**

"Who wants to be normal" said Fred

Oh no they are going to hear about the Dursleys thought Harry

"Who are the Dusleys" said most of the hall at once.

"My aunt and uncle" said Harry

**They were the last people you would expect to be involved in anything strange or mysteries because they just didn't hold with such nonsense**.

"What is that supposed to mean" said a proud Slytherin

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings which made drills.**

"Whats a drill" said Ron

"Just write any muggle word you don't know down and I will tell you later" said Hermione

"Ok" said all of then purebloods

**He was a big beefy man with hardly any neck although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck which in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over the garden fence spying on the neighbors.**

"Nice family you got there Potter" said Malfoy

"One point from Slytherin Mr. Malfoy" said McGonagall though in her head she agreed

**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

Harry snorted

"I have seen the kid and trust me there is nothing small about Dudley" said Ron

"Don't be rude"said Hermione "I am sure that he was small then."

"No he wasn't." said Harry

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted but they also had a secret and their greatest fear was that someone would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.**

"There is nothing wrong with the Potters!." Snapped the staff and Ginny

Ginny blushed

**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursleys sister but they hadn't met for several years. In fact Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister because her sister and her good for nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.**

All of a sudden the hall heard someone yell "HE WAS NOT GOOD FOR NOTHING!." Everybody looked over to see Remus.

"Professor Lupin"cried ¾ of the room

"I received a message to come and read books about Harrys life so here I am." Said Remus

Ug that filthy half breed thought Umbridge

**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son too but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that. When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull gray Tuesday our story starts there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strang and mysterious would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

"Why would you pick out a boring tie on purpose." Said George

"Because they are boring people," said Harry

"Your cousin sounds like a real charmer Harry," said Hermione

**None of them noticed a large owl flutter past the window.**

"Stupid Muggles," said Draco

All of the muggleborns glared at him.

**At half past eight Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek and tried to kiss Dudley good bye but missed because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.**

"Temper temper." said Fred

**"Little tyke" chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number fours drive. It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of anything peculiar a cat reading a map.**

"McGonagall" shouted the hall

McGonagall gasped realizing what day this book was talking about.

**For a second Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive but ther wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley around the corner and up the road he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive no looking at the sign cats couldn't read maps or signs.**

"Well I am upset of course I know how to read." Said McGonagall with a smile.

**Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove towards town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day. But on the edge of town drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam he coudnt help but noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.**

_Ok that is it for today. I will try to update everyday but I am going on vacation soon. See you tomorrow. Please Review _


	2. The Boy Who Lived Part 2

_**Everything in bold is owned by J.K. Rowling**_

Previously: **People in cloaks**

"Whats so weird about that," asked all of the purebloods

"People don't wear cloaks in the muggle world,"said Hermione

** couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes the getups you saw on young people !He supposed this was some stupid new drummed his fin er on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdoes standing quiet close by.**

"We are not weirdoes," screamed the hall

"To my uncle we are," said Harry

The teachers did not miss that Harry meant his uncle thought of his as a weirdo and were worried about Harrys life at home.

**They were whispering excitedly together. was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why that man had to be older than he was and wearing an emerald green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt these people were obviously collecting for something…yes that would be it.**

"Oblivious muggles," said Draco

"Shut up," said the hall

**The traffic moved on and a few minutes later arrived in the Grunnings parking lot his mind back on drills. always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadnt he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didnt see the owls swooping past in broad daylight though people down the street did;they pointed and gazed open mouthed as owl after owl sped over head.  
**

"Why would they be so surprised," said Draco

"In the muggle world owls only come out at night," said Hermione **  
**

"Ok I dont need a history lesson,"said Draco

"I only answered the question," said Hermione

"Shut up both of you," said Harry

**Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley however had a perfectly normal owl free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.**

"What a great way to start of the morning," said Hermione

"Your uncles weird," said Ron

**He was in a very good mood until lunch time when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery. **

"Wow! he walked willingly," said Harry

"I am surprised too," said Ron

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the bakers. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didnt know why but they made him uneasy. This bunch was whispering excitingly too and he couldnt see a single collecting tin. It was on his way past them clutching a large dounghnut in a bag that he caught a few words of what they were saying.  
**

**_Sorry that is all i can write for today. I will try to write more tomorrow. _  
**


	3. The Boy Who Lived Part 3

**_Sorry yesterday's update was so short. Here is some more. Everything in bold is owned by J.K. Rowling_**

"What are they saying,"said Draco

"I don't know let's find out,"said Harry

**"The Potters that's right that's what I heard yes their son Harry?" Mr. Dursley stopped dead.**

"I wish he would," said Harry

"Harry don't say that," said Hermione

Snape knew what day the book was talking about now but he prayed he was wrong. The rest of the staff knew as well.

**Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them but thought better of it. He dashed back across the road hurried up to his office snapped at his secretary not to disturb him seized his telephone and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind? He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache thinking no he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name? He was sure there were lots of people called potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it he wasnt even sure his nephew was called Harry.**

"He doesnt even know your name,"said an astonished Hermione

"But he does now right,"said Ron

"Of course he does dont be stupid," said Hermione

"Well I think he knows my name but he never really uses it," said Harry

"What does that mean," said Hermione

"Youll see," said Harry

**Hed never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold.**

"What horrible names," said Hermione

"Ya I am glad i didnt get thoughs names," said Harry

**There was no point in worring Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didnt blame her if hed had a sister like that but all the same those people in cloaks...**

"SISTER LIKE WHAT EXACTLY," screamed the teachers

"A sister thats a witch," said Harry

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o' clock he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

"Ah poor guy," said Harry

"Ya he probably got squished to death," said Ron

**"Sorry," he grunted as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley relized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didnt seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the conterary his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare "Dont be sorry my dear sir for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice for You Know Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like youself should be celebrating this happy happy day!**

The students gasped they all understood what day this book was talking about now. Everybody turned to look at Harry who had a face of amazment and saddness on.

"So this is the day You Know Who...,"said Ron

"Ya," said Harry. He finnaly understood what was going on. This was the day that his normal life was taken from him. A life with a family that loved him.

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off. Mr. Durlsey stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a muggle whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home hoping he was imagining things which he had never hoped before because he didnt approve of imagination.**

" How can you not approve of imagination," said Fred and George

"Because he is boring," said Harry

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four the first thing he saw,and it didnt improve his mood, was the tabby cat hed spotted that morning.**

"Minnie," said Fred and George

"Ever call me Minnie again and I will take 50 points from my own house," said McGonagall

**It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one it had the same markings around its eyes. "Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly. The cat didnt move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior?**

"No its normal Minnie behavior," said Fred The hall held there breath they were sure Fred had cost the Gryffindors some points.

"Ten points from Gryffindor," said McGonagall The hour glass points did not move.

"It seems we can not take points during the reading said Albus

"Lets keep reading,"said Oliver _**(In this story Oliver is still at Hogwarts)**_

**Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to metion anything to his wife. Mrs. Dursley had a nice normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Net Dorrs problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word(Wont). Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news.: "And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin.**

"You dont think thats Tonks dad do you," Hermione whispered to Harry

"I dont know it might be," said Harry

**"Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim." "Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars!**

" I bet thats Diggle he has never had much sense said McGonagall

**Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early - it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight." Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over flying by daylight. Mysterious people in cloaks all over the a whisper, a whisper about the Potters...Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er - Petunia, dear - you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you.**

" Wow! He cant even metion your mom to your aunt without getting all scared," said George

" Ya he is pathetic," said Harry

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

" That is awful how can Lily have a sister like that," said McGonagall

"I do not know," said Albus

"Your aunt really is awful if she thinks that," said Hermione

"Ya trust me I know,"said Harry

**"No," she said sharply. "Why." "Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..." "So." snapped Mrs. Dursley."Well, I just thought... maybe... it was something to do with... you know... her crowd."**

"What is that supposed to mean," screamed the crowd

"Just that he thinks witches and wizards are a dangerous gang," said Harry

"Well we are not. We are much better than just some gang," said Oliver

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips.****Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son - he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he." "I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly."What's his name again. Howard, isn't it." "Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

"Well no one cares what you think. I think it is a wonderful name," said Ginny. Her brothers stared ather. Ginny blushed and Cho glared at her.

"Ya how can you say Harry in a nasty name when you named your son Dudley," said Ron

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree." He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.****Was he imagining things.** **Could all this have anything to do with the Potters. If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of - well, he didn't think he could bear Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and his family.**

"He jixed it,"cried Dean

"Yes he did,"said Harry

******The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them** **and their kind... He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on - he yawned and turned over - it couldn't affect them...How very wrong he was.**

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one.********Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled."How did you know it was me." she asked."My dear Professor, I 've never seen a cat sit so stiffly." "You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall."All day. When you could have been celebrating. I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here." Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily."Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently."You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no - even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent - I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle.**

"See I told you ," said McGonagall

"Yep you,"said Fred

"said it in the past too,finished George

**He never had much sense." "You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years." "I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors." She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore." "It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore.**

"Its too bad he isnt gone for good,"said Ron

"Ya it sucks," said Harry

"He is gone," said Fudge and Umbridge

"No hes not," said the Golden Trio_(Harry&Ron&Hermione)_

"Detention," said Umbridge

"We can not take points from the houses there for no detentions are any other punishments can be given out during the reading," said Albus

The Golden Trio let out a breath of relief.

******"We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop." "A what." "A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of" "No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone -" "My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name. All this 'You- Know-Who' nonsense - for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."**

The hall shivered.

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," said the Golden Trio

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.****"I know you haven 't, said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of." "You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."****"Only because you're too - well - noble to use them." "It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

"TMI!," screamed the hallProfessor

** McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying. About why he's disappeared. About what finally stopped him." It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until****Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer."What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead. " Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

Everyone bowed there heads in remeberance of all those who died in the first war. Everyone looked over to see the Golden Trio crying silently.

.**"Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it...Oh, Albus..." Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I know..." he said McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not 're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But - he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke - and that's why he's nodded glumly."It's - it's true." faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy.**

"Ya Harry how did you survive," sai Dean

"Love," Harry replied simply. Umbridge snickered. There is no why love can do that. He used dark magic.

**It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive." "We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

"We know now," said Dean

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way." "Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places." "I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

"What!You sent me to live there. I thought it was some idiot," said Harry

"Mr. Potter, manners," said McGonagall

"Come on Harry it cant be that bad," said Hermione

"No it is alright Ms. Granger. It was stupid of me to do but I had to you will see later," said Albus

"Alright but I am trusting you," said Harry

"Lets keep reading," said Hermione

**"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here." cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four.****"Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets."Harry Potter come and live here!" ****"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. **

"How?" said Harry

"You will see my boy you will see," said Albus

******"His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

**"A letter." repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter. These people will never understand him! He'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!"****"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it." Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes - yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore." She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath** **it.**

"That would be wierd,"said Ron

"Yes, it would be," said Harry

**"Hagrid's bringing him." "You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this."**

"Sorry Hagrid," said McGonagall

Its ok," sai Hagrid_**(Sorry I dont know how to do Hagrids accent)**_

**" ****I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore."I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that." A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar ****If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild - long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

"Ah,its you Harry," cood the girls

Harry blushed

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle." "Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me.****I've got him, sir." "No problems, were there." "No, sir - house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol." **

"Awwww," said the girls

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.****"Is that where -." whispered Professor McGonagall."Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever." "Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore."****"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. **

"Really," said Fred and George

"Yes," said Albus

**Well - give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with." Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house."Could I - could I say good-bye to him, sir." asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.****"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!" "S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead - an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles -" "Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep,**

"You left my best friend on a doorstep in NOVEMBER!," screamed Hermione

"I thought I was your best friend," pouted Ron

"Your bothe my bestfriends. My boys," said Hermione

The Golden Trion smiled

**took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. **

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out."Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations." "Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back.****G'night, Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir." Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night."I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four."Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone. **

"I really needed that luck but I didnt get it, said Harry

Harrys friends were starting to get really worried. How bad was his homelife? The teachers were worried too.

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up.****One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous,****not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley... He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!".**

"Ok who wants to read next," said Albus


	4. The Vanishing Glass Part 1

_**Hey guys sorry it took me so long to update I was on vacation. Harry Potter(all the stuff in bold) is owned by J.K. Rowling not me. Thank you for the reviews. I will try to keep the chapters a little short but update fast. I think I am going to split the chapters in two instead of three.**_

"OK," said Dumbledore,"Who wants to read next."

"I will," squealed Hermione

"OK," laughed Dumbledore

"**CHAPTER VANISHING GLASS.**

"Oh do we get to read about your accidental magic Potter," sniggered Malfoy

Harry was starting to get really nervous. _Maybe it wont tell them how the Dursleys treat me thought Harry._ Umbridge say Harry getting nervous and thought that maybe she can expose him for doing something bad.

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets**

"Why would they take a pic of a beach ball," snickered Cho

"It will be explained," said Harry in a mysteries voice that sounded like Professer Trelawneys.

**- but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby,**

The Great Hall roared in laughter. Even snape couldnt hide a smile that was playing on his lips

"Harry dont be mean," scowled Hermione

"Hermione if you had seen the guy you would know that I was being nice,"said Harry

Hermione scowled again but continued reading.

**and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too.**

"Where are you Harry?" asked Dean

"Im still there, hesitated Harry," I am just camera shy."

_Oh yes the famous brat is camear shy thought Snape. _Draco was thinking along the same line as Snape.

**Harry Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.**

Snape grimmeced at the thought of Petunias shrill voice. He had heard it often enough when he was playing with Lily. All of a sudden the door to the Great Hall opened and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley walked in.

"We recieved a message saying to come to the great hall and read about Harrys life," said Mr. Weasley

"Yes, Albus said, please continue reading Mrs. Granger.

**"Up! Get up! Now!" Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again."Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.**

" Nice way to wake up said Hermione

" Ya I think that is how I am going to wake you up everyday now," said Ron

**His aunt was back outside the door."Are you up yet." she demanded."Nearly," said Harry."Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday." Harry groaned.**

"THEY MADE YOU COOK. YOU COULD HAVE BURNED YOURSELF," said Mrs. Weasley

Harry winced remebering when that happened

"Ya they did," said Harry

**"What did you say." his aunt snapped through the door.**

"He didn't say anything", said a first year student.

**"Nothing, nothing..." Dudley's birthday - how could he have forgotten. Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on.**

Ron cringed at the mention of his least favorite thing in the world.

**Harry was used to spiders,**

"Why were you used to spiders?" Remus questioned.

**because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them,**

"Why are they mentioning a cupboard under the stairs?" questioned Hermione

**and that was where he slept.**

"WHAT," screamed the hall

_**Sorry but I have to end it here. My mom is bugging me about going to sleep and I really wanted to update today. I would have written more but my computer blanked and I lost half of what I wrote so I am in a bad mood. Please review because that will put me in a happy mood. :)**_


	5. The Vanishing Glass Part 2

_**Sorry last times update was so short. Here is another chapter. If you like this story please go on my profile and review my other story Hogwarts meets the Dursleys. Everything in bold is owned by J.K. Rowling**_

"WHAT!," screamed the hall

"Harry! why didnt you tell us," screamed Hermione, Ron, and Mrs. Weasley

Just then Remus stood up and walked out of the hall muttering something about going and killing the Dursleys. Dumbledore stood up and went to stop.

"No wonder you were so skinny when you came. After this chapter I want you in my "office" so I can do a full scan on you," said Poppy

Harry groaned.

"Its not nessisary," said Harry

"Yes it is no exception," exclaimed Poppy

The Quidditch team was in shock they all thought of Harry as there little brother. The were holding Oliver back from going and killing the Dursleys right now.

"Lets just keep reading," said Harry

"Alright but we are talking after this chapter," said Mrs. Weasley

**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise - unless of course it involved punching somebody.**

"That better not be you," said Oliver through gritted teeth

**Dudley's favourite punching bag was Harry, but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast.**

"Thats awful but at least you are fast," said Hermione

The Quidditch team nodded in agreement.

**Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, **

Everyone glared at the book.

**but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age.**

"Your father was preety skinny but you are skinnyer," said Mrs. Weasley

"Which is why you are going to the hospitle wing,"said Poppy

**He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. **

"They didnt even buy you new clothes," screamed Hermione and

Dumbledore was very upset. _I knew they werent going to treat him like family but I didnt know it would be this bad._

"Its ok it doesnt matter," said Harry

Of course it matter Harry," said Oliver," and if I wouldnt go to Azkaban for it I would hex your relatives into obliviation."

"Me too," said Cho and Ginny at the same time. They glared at eachother and then looked at Harry._ I love those bright green eyes thought Ginny._

**Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, **

"James," said Remus

Snape glared at him.

**and bright green eyes. **

_Lily thought Snape_

**He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. **

The room growled. Remus eyes were pich balck like coal and it was scaring the hall.

_Filthy half breed thought Umbridge and Fudge._

"I am glad you finnaly learned the spell to fix your glasses Harry," said Hermione

"Yep," said Harry," Occulus repearo."

**The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning. **

"See minister I told he wants us all to worship him," whispered Umbridge

"Yes you are right," replied Fudge

"You liked your scar," said Ron

Ya before I knew ho I got it," said Harry

"what do you mean."

"Youll see."

**He had had it as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember ****asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it.**

**"In the car crash when your parents died," she had said.**

"What,"screamed Harrys friends and the teachers

"They didnt tell you," said Dean

"No," said Harry

**"And don't ask questions."**

"But how will you learn," said a shocked Hermione

The Ravenclaws looked outraged.

**Don't ask questions - that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys.**

**Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon.**

**"Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting.**

"Ya Harry comb your hair," said Fred and George

"It will never work," said Mrs. Weasley

**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way - all over the place.**

"Just like James," said Remus

**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother.**

"They dont make him do anything do they," said Seamus

"No he just watches TV all day," said Harry

**Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel - Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.**

The hall roard with laghter.

"Harry wear did your sense of humor go," said Fred

"You must come pranking with us," said George

_No thought McGonagall. If James son started pranking the school would not survive._

**Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents. His face fell.**

**"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."**

WOW,said Ron, He is even more spoiled then Malfoy."

"Watch it Weasley," said Malfoy.

**"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mommy and Daddy." "All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the , who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.**

"Does he do that often," asked Cedric

"About once a month," said Harry

**Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin. Two more presents. Is that all right''**

"That is not fixing the problem that is just making it worse," said Mrs. Weasley

_This is not working everybody is just pitting Potter thought Umbridge._

**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty ... thirty..." "Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

"Can't even add." scoffed some Slytherin.

Hermione was outraged that someone could be eleven and not know how to count.

**"Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then." Uncle Vernon chuckled. "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair.**

"Don't encourage him",said Mr. Weasley

**At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried."Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction.**

"He has a name and is Harry," said Ginny _A beautiful name thought Ginny._

"Thanks Ginny," said Harry

**D****udley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him**** and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned.**

Dumbledore was confused. Wasnt she supposed to be nice to Harry. He would have to talk to her about it later.

**"Now what." said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this.**

"Yep because that is what I do all day. Ruin my relatives lives by breaking an old persons leg," said Harry

The hall snorted.

**Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again.**

"Well at least you knew that you should be sorry...," said Hermione

**"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested."Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy."**

"The feeling is mutual." stated Harry

"Isn't she the one you…" Ron started

Harry nodded and smiled about the events that had happened a year eyed him curiously.

**The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there - or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug. **

"Thats awful," said Ron

"Ya it was depressing," said Harry

**"What about what's-her-name, your friend - Yvonne." "On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia."You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).**

"Its not going to work Harry that would be to much fun fo you," said Dean

"Well I had to try," said Harry

******Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon**.

**."And come back and find the house in ruins." she snarled."I won't blow up the house,"**

"No just your aunts." muttered Ron and Hermione while Harry just smiled.

**said Harry, but they weren't listening."**

"Of course," said Seamus

**."I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "...and leave him in the car..." "That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone..."**

"They cant leave you in a car. Thats CHILD ABUSE!," said Hermione

**Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying - it had been years since he'd really cried - but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted."Dinky Duddydums,**

The hall burst into laughter. After 5 minutes Hermione began reading again.

**don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him."I... don't... want... him... t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "He always sp- spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's then, the doorbell rang - "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically - and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat.**

_Sounds like Wormtail on a diet thought Remus. Why Wormy James was your firend why would you betray him._

**He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once. Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life.**

"Acctually, sai Remus, "Lily and James brought you to the zoo before you were in hiding."

Harry smiled sadly.

**His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside."I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy - any funny business, anything at all - and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."**

"He better not," snarled Oliver

**"I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly..**

"Never admit or deny anything, Harry. It's the first rule of the Marauders." stated Remus

"What's the second?" asked Harry

"Pull every joke there is. Inside the book and out. I will tell you all 20 rules later.", said Remus

The teachers froze at that last comment. Thinking they better watch out. One of the Marauders was back.

**But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did.**

_Thats because he lies about not having evil powers thought Umbridge_

**The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen.****Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses. **

Snape grimmced remembering when that was him minus the glasses part.

**Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.**

"Petunia should no about accidental magic," growled Snape

The students froze and looked at him in shock that he was defending Potter.

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls)**

"Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww," screamed Draco

**- The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney.**

"You apperated," snickered Pansey

"He flew," said Snape

"How do you...," said Harry but then he saw the look on Snapes face and he dropped it.

**The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trash cans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid- jump.**

"We need to teach you how to lie better," said Fred

The teachers were amazed at the amount of accidental magic that Harry proformed.

**It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room. While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects.**

"I guess you were one of his favorite subjects. Huh Harry." said Hermione.

**This morning, it was motorcycles.**

"There is nothing wrong with motorcycles.", stated Blaise

**"... roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. ****"It was flying." Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a mustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"**

"Yes they do," said the hall

**Dudley and Piers sniggered.I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream." But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon - they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas.**

"Well Harry doesnt need cartoons to get dangerous ideas all he needed was Hogwarts," said Hermione

The teachers nodded in agreement.

**It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop.**

Snape was then reminded of the time he went to the zoo with Lily. She had bought an ice lemon pop too.

**It wasn't bad, either, Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond.**

"Please come pranking with us," said George

"NO!," screamed the teachers

**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him.**

The room growled.

"Dont they have anything better to do," said Cho

"Apperently not," said Harry wincing

**They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first.**

"Its sad that you think that is luck Harry," said Cedric

"Ya my new form of luck is not dieing," said Harry

The students thought about that for a moment. It was true. Either Harry was with his neglective relatives or he was fighting to stay alive. He never got a break.

**Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last. After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon'**

"WOW it must be huge then," said Ron

**car and crushed it into a trash can - but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils."Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge."Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on."This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself - no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house.**

"Harry you are comparing yourself to a snake in captivity," said an appaled Hermione

"I know," whispered Harry

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry' winked.**

Everyone who didnt know Harry was a parselmouth gasped.

**hen he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too.**

"Only you would do that Harry," said Dean

**The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: "I get that all the time.**

"Your a parselmouth?" asked Remus

"Yes are you mad?" said Harry

"No just shocked. It doesnt matter to me if you are a paselmouth. I still think of you as a son." said Remus

"Thanks Remus that means a lot to me," said Harry

The rest of the hall was in shock that they were so close. Some were close to crying thinking how Harry had never had a parent figure until he met Remus.

**"I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying." The snake nodded vigorously."Where do you come from, anyway." Harry snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at Constrictor, Brazil."Was it nice there." The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see - so you've never been to Brazil." As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump."DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.**

"Must not have been very fast then," said Seamus

**"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. **

"Oh Harry are you alright," said Mrs. Weasley

"Im ok Mrs. Weasley this was a few years ago," said Harry

Mrs. Weasley looked embarresed.

**What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened - one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come... Thanksss, amigo."**

"Ha I new you were full of dark magic," said Umbridge

"He is not,said Ginny," He is kind and sweet and full of good pure magic. He is twice the person you will ever be."

Harry was in shock but he finnaly bluted out," Thank you Ginny."

"Your welcome."

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.**

"Poor man." said Professor Sprout.

**"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go."**

"Into everything which is nothing," said Luna

**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry."**

"NO!," screamed Harrys friends. They knew he was going to get in trouble for this.

**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go - cupboard - stay - no meals,"**

"NO MEALS," screamed Harrys friends

"He is starving you," said Mrs. Weasley

"Oh Dumbledore why did you leave him there. There are a ton of people who would have taken him in," said Proffeser McGonagall

Everybody waited for him to reply but he said nothing.

_I know it was for a good reason but I am feeling very guilty thought Dumbledore._

**before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.**

"Nice drink in front of the children.", scoffed Mr. Weasley

**Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.**

"They were serious oh Harry you cant go back," said Hermione

"Ya you can come live with me," said Ron,Dean,Seamus,Oliver,Cho, and Cedric at the same time.

"The teachers were shocked that these young students knew so much about friendship that they were willing to take Harry into there family.

**He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash.**

More growls.

**He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead. **

"You remember that?", asked Dumbledore.

"Yeah I remember more now." stated Harry sadly.

People frowned. Who would have wanted to only get to see their parents when they were murdered.

**This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.**

"How could they. You didnt even know what your parents looked like," said Oliver

**When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened;**

"I am so sorry Harry. The night your parents died I left the country. I didnt want to live anymore I had nothing to live for but you. At the time I didnt relize how much you would need me. When I finnaly came back you had been at the Dursleys for two years. I didnt want to take you away when you just got used to your new home. Dumbledore said you would be save and I believed him. I wanted to check up on you but it would have made me sad to watch you and know I could never have you as a son because of my "furry little problem". That is no excuse though. I should have checked up on you." said Remus

"Its ok Remus, I dont hold it against you," said Harry

**the Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too. A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley.**

"Was that you professor?" Harry asked his charms professor.

A very red Flitwick said, "Yes Mr. Potter it me."

**After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look.**

"APPERATION!," screamed Fred and George

"Ow, sensative hearing remember, said Remus

**At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

"Well I would like to disagree," said Ron

"Ok lets take a break, Harry to the hospitle wing now," said Dumbledore

Harry groaned

_**Yes I finished this chapter. I will try to update as soon as I can but I want to update Hogwarts meets the Dursleys first. Still it will take no longer than a week. I almost cried when Remus called Harry his son because I relized how hard Harrys life must have been without parents.**_


	6. The Letters From No One Part 1

_**Thank you so much for the reviews. Sorry it has been so long since an update but I was on vacation. This chapter is dedicated to juliaghostx3. That was the nicest review I have ever gotten. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story. Here is the 6th the way soory if you didnt hear but a changed the time setting of the story to the forth book before the guest arrive so that I could include one of my favorite charecters (Cedric) in it. Everything in bold is owned by J.K. Rowling**_

Harry walf walked half dragged himself to the hospitle wing. He was very upset. He didnt understand why he had to go to the hospitle wing now. There was nothing wrong with him now that he was back at Hogwarts. Even at the Dursleys he was not in bad shape. He had been a little hungery since he didnt get as much food at the Dursleys that he did here but they had never hurt him that bad. When Harry got to the hospitle wing accompanied by Poppy and Remus they made him sit on a bed and wait. Finnaly Remus came back into the room

"Hi Harry, I just wanted to talk to you for a minute,"said Remus

"Ok shoot," said Harry

"Well Harry have the Dursleys ever you know abused you," said Remus

Harry sighed he new this question was going to come up.

"Every once and a while but it wasnt that bad,"said Harry,"Sometimes Aunt Petunia would try to hit me with a frying pan or something but it only hit me a couple of times. Uncle Vernon was a little more aggresive but it was never more than a couple slaps or him dragging me by my hair."

"Harry even that is illegal and if we let it go on it could get worse," said Remus

"Well acctualy it got better after I went to school because they were afraid of me," said Harry

"Well after we read the books we are going to have a serious talk with Dumbledore and you will not be going back," said Remus

"Thank you Remus," said Harry

Just then Poppy came in with a potion and her wand.

" I am going to cast a spell so i can see your past injuries on a piece of paper and what caused them," said Poppy

She waved her wand and muttered a spell under her breath. The with a small pop a piece of paper appered infront of her. She gasped.

"You have so many injuries. Luckly most of them were not from your relatives. However you do have some bruses from your uncle throwing you against a wall," said Poppy," You also have some from your aunt throwing things at you."

"That is not acceptable," said Remus, "We will not let you go back."

"Thank you again Remus but maybe we should go back to the Great Hall, eat lunch, then continue reading the book," said Harry

"Ok," said Remus

They walked in silence to the Great Hall. When they got there people were already eating lunch.

"Oh Mr. Potter I almost forgot here is a potion I want you to take. You are muck to skinny this will help give you all the vitamins you need," said Poppy

"Thank you," said Harry

With that he went to go find his friends and eat.

"How was it Harry," asked Hermione

"It was fine. Only have a few injuries from my uncle and they are not serious," said Harry

"Even if they are not it is not right that you were abused by your relatives," said Ron

"I know," snapped Harry

After that all conversation ended and Harry ate lunch. When everyone was done Dumbledore stood up.

"I have decided that all classes are cancled until we finsh this book," said Dumbledore. The room cheered accept for Hermione, "Who wants to read?"

"Can I read Proffeser," said Ginny

"Yes Ms. Weasley here you go."

Dumbledore handed Ginny the book and she began to read.

**"Chapter Three. The Letters from No One."**

"How can leeters be from no on," said Ron

"I think it means the Hogwarts letter Ron. Why is it plural? Did you get more than one?" said Hermione

"You will have to wait and see," said Harry

**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had started**

"Whens Dudleys birthday," asked Snpae

Harry went into shock for a moment. Why on earth would Snape care about him.

"I am waiting Potter," said Snape

"June 1st," said Harry

"But that is almost two months," said Hermione

"Tell mye the ley you go to schoo," said Oliver

"Well they did if I just stayed in my cuboard the rest of the day and didnt bother them," said Harry

The room growled. Dumbledore feared that after the books the Dursleys would not be left behind.

**and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches.**

"That brat." shouted Ron and Ginny.

**Harry was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader.**

"What logic is that," said Remus

"The same one you used when you were in school," said Snape

"Shut it Sniviles," said Remus

"BOYS!," said McGonagall. _Oh no, I am having flash backs of the Maurauders_. She shivvered.

**The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: Harry Hunting.**

The hall erupted with growls. If any one at that time passed the great hall they would have thought wild mad blast ended skrets were stampeding through the hall.

**This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where he could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. **

"No you are going to…" the twins started.

"HOGWARTS!" yelled the whole school except the Slytherins.

**Dudley thought this was very funny."They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice." **

"He better not have...," said Oliver

"He didnt," said Harry

**"No, thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it - it might be sick." Then he ran, before Dudley could work out what he'd said.**

"Yes Harry, James would have been so proud," said Remus

"You are not supposed to be encoraging this. You are a teacher," snapped McGonagall

"Not anymore," said Remus in a sing songing voice," I am just a Maruder now."

_Not again... thought McGonagall_

Dumbledore coughed to hide a giggle.

**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's. Mrs. Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry watch television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years.**

"Oh no how could she!" Remus creid angrily

The hall stared at him.

"Remus has a chocolate addiction," said Harry

**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, **

Lavender paled.

**orange knickerbockers, **

Pansy looked as though she was going to throw up.

**and flat straw hats called boaters.**

"And people say our clothes are weird." scoffed Ginny

**They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.**

"How is that good for anything?" said an angry Hermione

**As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins,**

Laughter was heard throughout the hall.

**he looked so handsome and grown-up. Harry didn't trust himself to speak. He thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh.**

Everyone ammidetly turned angry the Harry was not aloud to laugh and yet they did it so freely here.

"Relax I didnt brake my ribs," said Harry

**There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water.**

"Ug if that is what she cooks for breakfast I dont even want to no how bad dinner is," Hannah said wrinkling her nose.

"Believe me you dont,"said Harry

**"What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question.**

"Yes how dare you Harry!" Fred and George said in mock anger.

"Yeah go comb your hair," Hermione and Ron said at the same time.

**"Your new school uniform," she said.**

"Eww,said Lavender,"It should be a federal offence to make somone where that."

**Harry looked in the bowl again.**

**"Oh," he said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."**

"Sarcasm probably doesnt work on her Harry," said Hermione

"I've realised that now," Harry laughed.

**"Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dying some of Dudley's old things grey for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished."**

"I seriously doubt that," said Ginny

**Harry seriously doubted this,**

Ginny blushed again because she had, had the same thought as Harry.

The hall burst into laughter as Fred said,"Aww Ginny has the same thoughts as Icle Harrykins."

**But thought it best not to argue. He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High - like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably.**

Everyone in the hall except some Slytherins through pity looks at Harry but he ignored them.

**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.**

"Thats just wierd," Hermione said in disgust

"I know and just wait for the next book he gets wierder ," Harry said knowing where she was coming from.

**They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.**

**"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.**

"He made the pig do something!" George said in general astonishment.

"Quick the world is ending everyone hide!" Lee cried.

"Women and Children first!" Ron yelled joining in.

"Mr Weasley, Mr. Weasley please be quiet!" Umbridge screeched.

"Fine," said George and Ron but only because there mom was here

**"Make Harry get it."**

**"Get the mail, Harry."**

"It's ok to come out now everyone the world is right again!" Dean cheered.

**"Make Dudley get it."**

**"Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."**

"He better not have," said Seamus asked angrily.

"I dodged it," said Harry

**Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill and - a letter for Harry.**

"HOGWARTS!" most of the school yelled.

_Stupid children shouting at pathetic things,_Umbridge thought glaring at the hall.

**Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who would?**

"Ginny," The Weasley boys all stated together angrily.

Ginny blushed madly but glared at her brothers who all shuffled away from the angry sister.

**He had no friends, no other relatives - he didn't belong to the library, so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:**

**Mr. H. Potter**

**The Cupboard under the Stairs**

"Did you know," asked Hermione

"Of course not we use self writing quills," said McGonagall

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging**

**Surrey**

**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.**

"What's a stamp?" asked Draco

Hermione was about to launch into a full explenation but Ginny cut her off.

**Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion,**

The Gryffindor's cheered loudly.

**An eagle,**

Ravenclaw cheered as well.

**A badger, **

Hufflepuff cheered

**And a snake**

All of the Slytherins hissed.

**Surrounding a large letter H.**

"HOGWARTS!" ¾ of the school yelled.

**"Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.**

"That was a joke," Fred and George said before fainting

"I'm just going to leave them like that, at least it will be quiet,"said Katie

**Harry went back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter. He handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.**

**Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard.**

**"Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk..."**

**"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry's got something!"**

"Snitch," Hermione spat.

**Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of his hand by Uncle Vernon.**

**"That's mine!" said Harry, trying to snatch it back.**

"Oh dear I see his temper building up," Ginny laughed

"I bet he said it in that calm scary voice that comes right before the explosion," said Hermione

**"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the grayish white of old porridge.**

"I'm never going to eat porridge again," Neville said.

**"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.**

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise.**

**"Vernon! Oh my goodness - Vernon!"**

"Why are they so suprised? They knew it would come," said Ernie

**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick.**

"What a brat!" Professor Sprout exclaimed.

**"I want to read that letter," he said loudly.**

**"I want to read it," said Harry furiously, "as it's mine."**

"Get ready for it," Ron advised "He's about to blow,"

**"Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.**

**Harry didn't move.**

**"I WANT MY LETTER!" he shouted.**

"There it is," said Dean

"And that Ladies and Gentlemen is the famous Evan temper!" Remus joked.

Snape grimced remebering it well.

**"Let me see it!" demanded Dudley.**

**"OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon and he took both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the kitchen door behind them.**

The hall shouted in outrage.

"He cant do that its child abuse," said Hermione

"It didnt hurt," said Harry. He then added that bad when he was sure Hermione couldnt hear but Remus had sensative hearing.

"He threw you," Remus growled

"I was fine honestly," said Harry

**Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; Dudley won,**

"Aw, Harry you've disappointed us!" Fred and George said groggily getting up from the floor.

"He was four times bigger than me, you do realise that don't you," Harry stated.

**So Harry, his glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on his stomach to listen at the crack between door and floor.**

"That's the best place that," Seamus smirked.

"I'm not going to ask how you know that," McGonagall said shaking her head.

**"Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address - how could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?"**

**"Watching - spying - might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly.**

"Oh yes, because we like spying on you in our spare time, stupid muggles," Draco muttered.

**"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want-"**

**Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.**

**"No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer... Yes, that's best... we won't do anything..."**

**"But-"**

**"I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"**

The hall was silent.


	7. The Letters From No One Part 2

_**Hi guys I am going to post this chapter now even though I didn't get a lot of reviews for chapter 6. I know my writing is not great yet but I found this spell check program that I can use to improve my writing. Everything in bold is owned by J.K. Rowling**_

The hall went silent. Then all of a sudden a window shattered and people started to scream. Dumbledore himself stood up and started to scream at nothing in particular. He remembered his sister Ariana and how the magic had been stamped out of her and had led to their mother's death. He knew it wasn't Arianas fact he held himself accountable for letting those neighborhood kids hurt her.

"Harry I am so sorry I didn't know what I was putting you through. We will have to find you other living arrangements," said Dumbledore

"Yes, you can live with us and maybe we can even arrest the Dursleys," said Ron

"I don't know," said Dumbledore," Because the crime was on a wizard they would be trialed here but muggles can't go to Azkaban. It would kill them."

"Who cares?" said Oliver

"Lets keep reading and figure it out later," said Dumbledore

**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Harry in his cupboard. **

"**Where's my letter?" said Harry, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door. "Who's writing to me?" **

"**No one. It was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly. "I have burned it." **

"It was not a mistake, you miserable old hag!" yelled Ginny angrily

"Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley

"Sorry mom," said Ginny

"**It was **_**not **_**a mistake," said Harry angrily, "it had my cupboard on it." **

"Ya it had your cupboard on it which sound really weird in context," said Ron

Harry shrugged.

"**SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling. **

"Eww," screamed the girls and Ron.

Fred and George smirked

**He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful. **

'Hope it was,' said Katie angrily.

"**Er — yes, Harry — about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking… you're really getting a bit big for it… we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom.**

"SECOND BEDROOM," SCRAMED Mrs. Weasley

"Dudley had a second – bedroom, and you lived in a cup-board?" asked Hermione angrily.

Harry scooted away from the angry brunette.

"**Why?" said Harry.**

"**Don't ask questions!" snapped his uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now." **

**The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms:**

FOUR BEDROOMS, screamed again Mrs. Weasley

**one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom. **

**It only took Harry one trip upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard to this room. **

Ron looked at him with pity clear in his eyes. All those times Ron had complained about never getting new things and yet Harry had never complained.

**He sat down on the bed and stared around him. Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbor's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favorite program had been canceled; **

'Temper, temper,' Fred scolded

**there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it. **

"The muggle-borns sniggered, while the pure-bloods looked at them curiously.

**Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched. **

'Can he even read?' Hermione asked.

Harry shrugged, "No."

Hermione looked outraged.

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, "I don't **_**want **_**him in there… I **_**need **_**that room**

… **make him get out…" **

"You don't need it," said Cedric

**Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday he'd have given anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with that letter than up here without it. **

"Crazy," muttered Dean

**Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. **

**He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick**

"Ugg," said Seamus

**, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother**

The Weasleys shuddered, if they had kicked _their _mother…

**, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back. **

**Harry was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd opened the letter in the hall. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly. **

"Lovers spat," smirked Draco

**When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to Harry, made Dudley go and get it.**

"He didn't argue?" asked Oliver

**They heard him banging things with his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's another one! 'Mr. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive —'" **

"It's so accurate that it is almost scary," said Cho

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Harry right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind. **

Practicing for later Harry," said Ron

"Yep," said Harry

People started to look at them strangely.

"You will find out," said Hermione

**After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath**

**, with Harry's letter clutched in his hand. **

"**Go to your cupboard — I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Harry. "Dudley — go — just go." **

**Harry walked round and round his new room. Someone knew he had moved out of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure they didn't fail. He had a plan. **

'Oh no,' said Ron, theoretically.

"What's wrong with my plans?" Said Harry

"They're pretty bad," snickered Hermione.

Harry pouted.

**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Harry turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the Dursleys. He stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights. **

**He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first. His heart hammered as he crept across the dark hall toward the front door — **

"That's actually, pretty good," remarked an surprised Ron.

"**AAAAARRRGH!" **

"Please tell me you stepped on the whale's face?" pleaded George

**Harry leapt into the air; he'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat — something **_**alive**_**! **

"Pleaseeeee" said Fred

**Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realized that the big, squashy something had been his uncle's face.**

'YES!' the Weasley twins cheered, and they reached across the table and high-fived Harry, laughing.

"**I want —" he began, but Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do. He shouted at Harry for about half an hour and then told him to go and make a cup of tea.**

"Make it yourself," said Professor McGonagall

**Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the time he got back, the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink. **

**Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before his eyes.**

"Git," said Ernie

**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot. **

"Prat" said Neville

"**See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't **_**deliver **_**them they'll just give up." **

"**I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon." **

"Why don't you listen to her, said Ron

"He is to blind to see that he is fighting a losing battle," said Harry

_Kind of like Voldemort then thought Snape._

"**Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways**

'And yours doesn't?' Seamus snickered.

**, Petunia, they're not like you and me," said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him. **

"Thank goodness." Fred mock sighed, placing a hand on his chest.

**On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs bathroom. **

**Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters**

**, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" as he worked, and jumped at small noises. **

'Paranoid much?' Draco snickered.

**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window. **

**While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor. **

"**Who on earth wants to talk to **_**you **_**this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in amazement. **

'Loads of people, actually,' said Fred matter-of-factly.

'Yeah,' said George, looking up from what he was writing. 'Especially Ginny,' he added, grinning.

Ginny flushed, ignoring the sniggers all around her.

**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy. **

'That can't be good,' Ginny said softly.

"**No post on Sundays," he reminded them cheerfully as he spread marmalade on his newspapers**

Ron turned to Harry. 'Mental?' he asked warily.

'Yeah,' Harry answered softly.

**, "no damn letters today —" **

**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head. **

**Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. **

Dean grinned, "Ohhhh yes."

**The Dursleys ducked, but Harry leapt into the air trying to catch one — **

"Seeker Instincts!" exclaimed Oliver

"**Out! OUT!" **

**Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall. **

The Gryffindor Quidditch Team growled, no one messes with their little brother.

"Child Abuse," screamed Hermione

"We know Hermione," muttered Harry

**When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor. **

"**That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his mustache at the same time.**

'Idiotic man,' Snape sneered.

"**I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!" **

**He looked so dangerous with half his mustache missing that no one dared argue. **

"More like mental," said Harry

**Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag. **

"What is that?" asked a pure-blood

**They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while. **

"**Shake 'em off… shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this. **

"Like you can shake wizards off," said Pansy

The pure-bloods laughed.

**They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. **

Madam Pomfrey scowled, looking critically at where Harry was sat. He looked too skinny for her liking.

**By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. **

'Aww, poor baby!' said Cho in a mocking baby voice.

'Welcome to Harry's life!' Cedric added.

**He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer. **

Professor Sprout shook her head in disgust. 'Horrid boy,' she scowled.

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering…**

'About what?' asked Colin curiously.

'This was four years ago. I forget,' Harry answered, massaging his temples, as though trying to rid himself of a migraine called Colin.

**They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day.**

'That's not a breakfast! That's not even a snack!' Ron howled.

Ginny and Harry grinned at each other in amusement. Ron's only love truly was his stomach.

**They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table. **

"'**Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk." **

**She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address: **

_**Mr. H. Potter **_

_**Room 17 **_

_**Railview Hotel **_

_**Cokeworth **_

**Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out of the way. **

'Horrible git!' Fred scowled, looking over his twin's shoulder at what George was scribbling on a piece of parchment.

George was murmuring to himself, and people began to move up the bench as they caught snippets of what he was saying; things like '_house_', _hot_'_ pink_', '_Ginny's bat-bogey hex_', among other things.

**The woman stared. **

'Don't stare, Do something,' Hermione sniffed.

"Relax Hermione," said Harry

"**I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining room. **

"**Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later**

'She's talking a bit of sense, at least,' McGonagall muttered.

**, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her.**

'The sound probably couldn't travel through his thick skull,' Harry muttered.

Those who heard him snorted.

**Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of a multilevel parking garage. **

"**Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon.**

'Daddy went mad a long time ago,' Neville said in a baby voice.

Dean looked amused, while Seamus laughed.

**Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car, and disappeared. **

**It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley snivelled. **

"SNIVELLED!" yelled Fred.

"HAHA, good one." Laughed George.

Snape flinched.

"**It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a **_**television**_**." **

**Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it **_**was **_**Monday — and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of television — then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday. **

Fred and George begun to sing the birthday song, slowly.

When they finally finished, McGonagall was burning holes in the back of their head.

**Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun — last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.**

George scribbled on his parchment again.

**Still, you weren't eleven every day. **

**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. **

'This isn't going to be good,' Hermione muttered.

**He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought.**

'That definitely isn't good,' Ginny murmured.

"**Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!" **

**It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain, there was no television in there. **

"**Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!" **

**A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below them. **

'I don't like the sound of that,' said Katie to Oliver.

"**I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!" **

**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. **

Pomfrey scowled even more.

**After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house. **

**The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms. **

**Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of chips each and four bananas. **

'Those aren't rations!' Pomfrey hissed irritably as she glared at the boy. She flicked her hand, and a bowl of potato soup came in front of him. "Eat." She said irritably.

Harry frowned at the soup, but ate it anyway.

**He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shriveled up. **

"**Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully. **

**He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. Harry privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all. **

"That's Harry." Ginny grinned.

"Our favorite pessimist." Smiled Hermione.

**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket. **

The hall was silent. No one could hear a sound, except for Harry's shallow breathing. Hermione glanced at him angrily, "Oh no they didn't."

"That's horrible you could get sick," said Katie

Fred and George scribbled furiously on their parchment.

**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger. **

**Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all, wondering where the letter writer was now. **

**Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did. **

**Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow. **

**Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea? **

**One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds… twenty… ten… nine — maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him**

'DO IT!' the twins begged hopefully, as they grinned of the thought of torturing Harry's extremely fat cousin.

— **three… two… one… **

**BOOM. **

Hermione yelled the word out, quite loudly considering, and a lot of the hall jumped in surprise.

**The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in. **

"Cliffy." Muttered Hermione irritably.

_**Hey guy this is it for today. Check ou my profile soon though because I am working on a one shot where Hermione and Lavender get in a cat fight. It will be really funny. If I get some reviews then I will have a quick update but I will only do half a chapter. If I get a lot I will do the whole next chapter and try to update it quickly but now school was started so no promises. **_


	8. The Keeper Of Keys

_**Everything in bold belongs to J.K. Rowling. Hey I am back. I told you I wouldn't give up. I know it took a while to update but look I did the whole chapter. Please Review!**_

"I'll read," said Harry

"Ok," said Hermione

**The Keeper of The Keys**

**BOOM. They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake. **

"Ahhh, what is it Harry," said Cho

"You'll find out," said Harry with a smile

"**Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly. **

"What's a cannon?" asked a 5th year pureblood.

"It's like a big version of a gun." Replied Hermione

"What's a gun?" asked the same pure-blood curiously.

Hermione groaned, before waving a hand towards them.

**There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands – now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them. **

"It's a type of gun. By the way a gun is like a wand only instead of casting spells it shoots out bullets that can kill you." Said Harry

The teachers looked murderous.

"**Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you — I'm armed!" **

'So are we,' Fred laughed, holding out his arms for proof.

**There was a pause. Then — **

"Snape comes in with shampoo?" asked Lee dramatically

"Hermione puts down a book?" said George, placing a hand on his heart.

"Dumbledore shaves his beard?" asked Fred dramatically.

All three of them looked at Harry for confirmation, to which he rolled his eyes too.

**SMASH! **

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor. **

"There is only one person big enough to do that," said Harry looking towards Hagrid

**A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair. **

Hagrid grinned, when a lot of the hall cheered.

Umbridge scowled, "Filthy half breed."

Remus glared at him.

**The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. **

The hall laughed.

**The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all. **"**Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey…" **

Ron snickered.

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear. **

"**Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger. **

"You tell them Hagrid," said Ron

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon. **

"**An' here's Harry!" said the giant. **

**Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile. **

"You make Hagrid sound scary Harry, "snickered Dean

"Ha that rhymes," said Fred, "Scary Harry Scary Harry Scary Harry…"

"Shut Up," said Harry

"**Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes." **

"Never get tired of hearing that," said Harry

"Really I thought you got annoyed with it after a while," said Remus

"No I love hearing about my parents no matter if it is the same thing over and over again," said Harry

"Don't worry I can tell you a lot more about your parents than that," said Remus

Harry smiled.

**Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise. **

"**I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!" **

"Uh oh you just don't tell Hagrid what to do," said Seamus

"**Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant; he reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room. **

"Thank goodness," said McGonagall

**Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on. **

"**Anyway — Harry," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here — I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right." **

Ginny looked green.

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with **_**Happy Birthday Harry **_**written on it in green icing. **

Ron's stomach grumbled at the mention of food, and his ears went red as the people sitting around him smirked at him.

Harry snickered at Ron.

**Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was, "Who are you?" **

"Harry," said nicely

"Ya I know sorry Hagrid," said Harry

"It's ok, you had no idea what was going on," chuckled Hagrid

**The giant chuckled. **

"**True, I haven't introduced myself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." **

**He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm. **

Ginny laughed.

"**What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind." **

"Hagrid! Don't drink in front of him," said Mrs. Weasley

Hagrid blushed.

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shriveled chip bags in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire there. **

"Good now you won't get sick," said Remus

**It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt the warmth wash over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath. **

**The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from before starting to make tea.**

'How many pockets does he have?' Collin asked.

**Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. **

This time Harry's stomach grumbled.

**Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley." **

**The giant chuckled darkly. **

"**Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry."**

Everyone was silent, until they burst into laughter.

Harry grinned at the memory

**He passed the sausages to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, but he still couldn't take his eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are." **

**The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. **

"**Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts — yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course. **

"**Er — no," said Harry. **

The teachers scowled.

**Hagrid looked shocked. **

"Well I didn't expect that you wouldn't know anything about magic," said Hagrid

"**Sorry," Harry said quickly. **

"Why did you say sorry Harry," said Hermione. Harry was about to open his mouth but Snape beat him too it.

"At times of abuse a person is trained to think that anything wrong is there fault even if they had nothing to do it. They say sorry to see if they can get a better punishment even though they know it will not help." Said Snape

The hall was silent. Nobody even asked him how he knew that.

"_**Sorry**_**?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?" **

"**All what?" asked Harry. **

"**ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!" **

"Ha I love it when Hagrid gets angry," said Cedric

"Ya as long as it's not at you," said George

**He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall. **

"**Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this boy — this boy! — knows nothin' abou' — about ANYTHING?" **

"For once I agree with you Hagrid," said Draco

"That's not what I meant," said Hagrid

**Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school, after all, and his marks weren't bad. **

"**I know **_**some **_**things," he said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff." **

**But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About **_**our **_**world, I mean. **_**Your **_**world. **_**My **_**world. **_**Yer parents' world**_**." **

"**What world?" **

**Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode. **

Remus laughed evilly waiting to see what Hagrid was going to do to the Dursleys.

"**DURSLEY!" he boomed. **

**Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble." **

"That's not a word," said a Ravenclaw

**Hagrid stared wildly at Harry. **

"**But yeh must know about yer mum and dad," he said. "I mean, they're **_**famous**_**. You're **_**famous**_**." **

"**What? My — my mum and dad weren't famous, were they?" **

"Uh well they are now," said Katie

"**Yeh don' know… yeh don' know…" Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare. **

"**Yeh don' know what yeh **_**are**_**?" he said finally. **

"Harry!" asked Fred

"How could you not know that you are a midget in glasses," said George shaking his head.

**Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice. **

'Where did it go?' Lee asked laughingly.

"Oh, the Sniggelwaddlers took it; they like to play with them." Commented Luna happily.

Lee just shook his head.

"**Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!" **

"You cannot forbid Hagrid. It's just not possible." Said Blaise

**A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage. **

"Ya that would be around the time I realized that there was a thin blanket on the floor that you were sleeping on," said Hagrid sheepishly

"**You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?" **

"**Kept **_**what **_**from me?" said Harry eagerly. **

Fred laughed.

"**STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic. **

"Like Hagrid would give up," said Oliver

**Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror. **

Snape was angry. Actually angry was too subtle of a word for it he was furious. Petunia of course had known about his horrible childhood. He had spent many nights at Lily's house to get away from his dad. He just didn't understand how Tunney had the nerve to abuse Lily's son after what had happened to him. Suddenly something changed inside him. He no longer felt this anger towards the young Potter. He had no reason to hate him. He was not his father. In fact he was almost the opposite. He was like Lily. He may look like James but everything he does reminds me so much of Lily. After all the eyes are the window to the soul.

"**Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh,**

"Literally," muttered Ginny

"Said** Hagrid. Harry — yer a wizard." **

"Great way to tell him Hagrid," said Flitwick **sp?**

**There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard. **

"**I'm a **_**what**_**?" gasped Harry. **

"That was my reaction Harry," laughed Hermione

"**A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good 'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter." **

"Yes it is," grunted McGonagall,

**Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to **_**Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. **_**He pulled out the letter and read: **

_**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY **_

_**Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE **_

_**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) **_

_**Dear Mr. Potter, **_

_**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. **_

_**Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. **_

_**Yours sincerely, **_

_**Minerva McGonagall, **_

_**Deputy Headmistress **_

**Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, "What does it mean, they await my owl?" **

The hall burst out laughing.

"That was your first question," joked Snape

Harry looked at Snape and then his eyes went wide. Snape was _smiling_. The world must be ending thought Harry. Snape no longer had that cold glare in his eyes. His eyes looked bright and not full of sorrow. Maybe something is changing he thought.

"**Gallopin' Gorgons**

Fred snorted.

**, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl — a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl — a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down: **

_**Dear Professor Dumbledore, **_

_**Given Harry his letter. **_

_**Taking him to buy his things tomorrow. **_

_**Weather's horrible. Hope you're well. **_

_**Hagrid **_

**Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. **

**Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone. **

"Oh is that the one where you shout in and ear piece and the other phone can hear," said Ron

"Yes Ron but you don't have to scream," said Harry

**Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly. **

Draco snorted.

"**Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight. **

"**He's not going," he said. **

"Why doesn't he just give up," said a first year

**Hagrid grunted. **

"**I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said. **

"**A what?" said Harry, interested. **

"**A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call nonmagic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on." **

"Literally," muttered Ginny

"**We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"**

Harry winced and the hall growled.

"**You **_**knew**_**?" said Harry. "You **_**knew **_**I'm a — a wizard?" **

'Of course she would have known,' scoffed Snape. Harry looked at him again.

"**Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "**_**Knew**_**! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? **

"Filthy little mud-blood," commented Draco

Harry looked up, his emerald green eyes turned the color of poison. He turned to Draco, his expression crazed, "Don't you ever say that about my mother again."

Harry got up and punched the Draco in the face. Dumbledore sighed but did not blame Harry for punching Draco. After all Draco had called his dead mother a mud blood.

Snape stopped frozen thinking about the time he had called Lily that. Oh how he regretted it now. Then he stood up and yelled at Draco.

"YOU ARE NEVER TO SAY THAT WORD AGAIN. DO YOU HEAR ME," screamed Snape

Draco nodded in fright.

Dumbledore looked at Snape sadly remembering the incident. It was a shame. He and Lily had been such great friends.

**Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that — that **_**school **_**— and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was — a freak! **

"My mum was not a freak," said Harry quietly, but deadly serious.

Remus looked angry, "Lily was not a freak."

**But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!" **

**She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years. **

A lot of the muggle-borns with sibling's eyes softened, they knew how it felt like, for their sibling to hate you, after all.

"**Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as — as —**_**abnormal **_**— and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!" **

'That's how you found out,' Ginny asked, her face white.

**Harry had gone very white. **

"You should not have found out like that it is awful," screamed Hermione

Fred and George cracked there knuckles waiting to go deal with the Dursleys.

**As soon as he found his voice he said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!" **

"**CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. **

"**How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!" **

"**But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently. **

**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious. **

"It was very hard to tell him," said Hagrid

"**I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. **

McGonagall threw a glare at Dumbledore.

**Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh — but someone's gotta — yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'." **

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys. **

"I can't wait to go beat them up," Fred whispered to George

George nodded.

"**Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh — mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it…" **

**He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with — with a person called — but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows —" **

"**Who?" **

"**Well — I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does." **

"**Why not?" **

"**Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went… bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was…" **

**Hagrid gulped, but no words came out. **

"I bet you one sickle he won't say it," said Fred to George

"You're on," said George

"**Could you write it down?" Harry suggested. **

"**Nah — can't spell it. **

**All right —**_**Voldemort**_**. " **

Fred reluctantly handed over a sickle while George smirked.

**Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this — this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too — some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power,**

'**cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. **

**Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches… terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him — an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway. **

"**Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before… probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side. **

"They would have never have joined the dark side," said McGonagall proudly

"**Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em… maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way.**

Snape flinched, he knew why he killed them, and it _was_ partly his fault.

**All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' — an' —" **

Harry closed his eyes. He didn't want to cry in front of everybody.

**Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn. **

"**Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad — knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find — anywa… **

"**You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then — an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing — he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. **

Snape's fists clenched, how dare the Dark Lord take away the one person he loved.

**But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh — took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even — but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you,**

**an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age — the McKinnons,**

**the Bones, **

Susan Bones let out a sob, and Amelia Bones's eyes watered.

**the Prewetts**

Mrs. Weasley looked down and closed her eyes. I had been 13 years since her brothers were murdered and yet a day doesn't go by that she doesn't miss her brother.

**an' you was only a baby, an' you lived." **

**Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before — and he remembered something else, for the first time in his life: a high, cold, cruel laugh. **

"No one should have to remember that," whispered Oliver

**Hagrid was watching him sadly. **

"**Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot… ." **

"**Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Harry jumped; he had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched. **

"**Now, you listen here, boy," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured**

The hall immediately broke into screaming and other sounds of outrage.

"HOW CAN HE THINK THAT IT IS OK TO TREAT A PERSON LIKE THIS," screamed Hermione

"I don't think he regards me as a person ,"Muttered Harry

"But that's outrages you are a wonderful person Harry," said Mr. Weasley

"Thanks Mr. Weasley," said a blushing Harry

_A beating won't help at all thought Snape. It will have the opposite effect. He would be forced to use even more accidental magic._

**and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion**

Snape growled so loudly that the students turned to stare at him.

"Sorry," said Snape

The students looked shocked that there cruel potions teacher had just said sorry to them.

**asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types — just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end —" **

'How – how _dare_ he?' yelled Hermione angrily.

McGonagall glared at nothing in particular, she was going to pay them a visit that's for sure.

Lee joined in on the talk Fred and George were having about beheading Harry's relatives.

**But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley — I'm warning you — one more word…" **

**In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent. **

'Good,' said Professor Flitwick, in a squeaky voice.

"**That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor. **

**Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them. **

"No surprise there," said McGonagall

"**But what happened to Vol-, sorry — I mean, You-Know-Who?" **

"You didn't say his name?" said Ron, shocked.

"**Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see… he was gettin' more an' more powerful — why'd he go? **

"**Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. **

_Hmm it seems that Hagrid is on the right track thought Dumbledore. Looking at the sighs Voldemort will come back. _

**Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. **

Ron gave a pointed look to Malfoy.

**Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back. **

"**Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. **

_Hmm maybe I should look and see if Hagrid is a seer thought Dumbledore._

**Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on — **_**I **_**dunno what it was, no one does — but somethin' about you stumped him, all right." **

"Love." Dumbledore said softly.

**Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. **

"Huh?" asked Draco

_That's exactly what Lily thought thought Snape_

**A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? If he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football? **

Hermione frowned.

"**Hagrid," he said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard." **

**To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled. **

"**Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?"**

"Yep," said Harry

**Harry looked into the fire. Now he came to think about it… every odd thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry… chased by Dudley's gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach… dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow back… and the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa constrictor on him? **

'Yeah, and it was bloody brilliant!' Dean yelled, grinning.

**Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at him. **

"**See?" said Hagrid. "Harry Potter, not a wizard — you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts." **

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight. **

"**Haven't I told you he's not going?" he hissed. "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish — spell books and wands and —" **

"Books could never be rubbish," Hermione huffed irritably, and Harry couldn't help but smile at him.

"**If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born. He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a change, an' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled—" **

"**I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon. **

Fred grinned, he knew Hagrid pretty well, and knew he wouldn't take lightly to that.

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER —" he thundered, "— INSULT — ALBUS — DUMBLEDORE — IN — FRONT — OF — ME!" **

People were smirking.

**He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley — there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. **

'What did you do?' the Weasley twins yelled in excitement, grins beginning to light up their freckled faces.

**When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers. **

The Hall exploded into an uproar of laughter, and Hagrid beamed sheepishly.

Fred and George looked at him in awe.. "Bloody Brilliant." They said together.

"We should give him a matching nose," said Lee

**Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them. **

**Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard. **

"**Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do." **

The twins were overcome with fits of laughter again, their faces beginning to go red to match their hair.

**He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows. **

"**Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm — er — not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff — one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job." **

"**Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry. **

"**Oh, well — I was at Hogwarts meself but I — er — got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore." **

"**Why were you expelled?" **

The Hall looked at Hagrid confused.

"We have asked him a million times but he will never tell us," said George

"**It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that." **

**He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry. **

"**You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."**

"Ewww!" said Lavender

"Ok well that is the end of that chapter and it is getting late so I think we should have dinner and then go off to bed," said Dumbledore," Professer Snape if you would please show the guest to the guest dorm after dinner that would be great." Snape nodded silently. He really needed to talk to Harry in the morning. Suddenly a huge mound of food appeared on the table and everyone began to eat in silence. When everyone was done they went up to their dorm for a good nights sleep.

_**Thank you for all of the reviews. Keep reviewing please. **_


	9. Diagon Alley

_**Sorry this chapter is really late but I have been really busy so i will only be able to update this like once every two weeks.**_** Sorry!**

The next morning everyone woke up really early to go down to the Great Hall. They were all very excited to read the next chapter of the book about the Boy Who Lived.

"What happens in the next chapter Harry," asked Hermione

"Well I wont go into too much detail but we get to leave the Dursleys in this chapter and we wont have to talk about them again till the end of this book," said Harry. All of a sudden Snape walked up to them.

"Potter can I talk to you for a moment in private," he added looking at Ron and Hermione.

"Uh sure," said Harry nervously. Ron and Hermione left after taking a quick glance at Harry.

"Uh look Po- Harry I know I have been ...a... cruel to you in the past but I realized that you're not exactly like your father and that is the best compliment I can give you." said Snape

"Um thanks I think," said Harry who was very confused

"But don't expect anything to change. I have to keep up my behavior in potions class other wise the Gryffindors will say I have gone soft. I don't like you but I don't hate you... that much." said Snape. _In reality he didn't hate him at all anymore but he wasnt going to say that to his face. I will just try to lay off on him during class._ he thought

Soon Ron and Hermione had joined him again.

"What was that about," asked Hermione

"Tell you later," said Harry. Once they got to the Great Hall Harry yelled out.

" I think Malfoy should read this chapter."

professor McGonagall handed a scowling Malfoy the book and he began to read.

**DIAGON ALLEY**

**Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight. **

_**It was a dream, **_**he told himself firmly. **_**I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards. When I open my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard. **_

"Stop with the pessimistic thoughts Harry you are killing me with your negativity," said Remus

"Sorry, next time I know my thoughts are being recorded I will try to think positively," said Harry

**There was suddenly a loud tapping noise. **

_**And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door**_**, Harry thought, his heart sinking. But he still didn't open his eyes. It had been such a good dream. **

"It's not a dream" said George in a mysterious voice

"Yes I know that now thanks," said Harry rolling his eyes.

"Your welcome," said George

**Tap. Tap. Tap. **

"**All right," Harry mumbled, "I'm getting up." **

**He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him. The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak. **

**Harry scrambled to his feet, so happy he felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside him. He went straight to the window and jerked it open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat. **

"**Don't do that." **

"Pay it," said Seamus

**Harry tried to wave the owl out-of-the-way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat. **

"**Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl —" **

"**Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa. **

Seamus you think like Hagrid," laughed Fred

"**What?"**

"**He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets." **

**Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing **_**but**_**pockets— bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags…finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins. **

"There not strange-looking," said Malfoy interrupting himself.

"They are to muggles," said Hermione but Draco just glared at her and continued reading.

"**Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily. **

"**Knuts?"**

"**The little bronze ones." **

**Harry counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out his leg so Harry could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window. **

**Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched. **

"**Best be off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school." **

**Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. He had just thought of something that made him feel as though the happy balloon inside him had got a puncture. **

"Not the happy balloon," screamed George

"Anything but the happy balloon," said Fred in the same devastated voice.

"Oh shut up you guys," said Harry

"**Um— Hagrid?" **

"**Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots. **

"**I haven't got any money — and you heard Uncle Vernon last night…he won't pay for me to go and learn magic."**

"Ya havent you seen the Potter vault," sais Remus

"No, I don't get to see it until I am of age," said Harry

Remus just smiled. Just then the Great Hall doors opened.

"We got a message telling us to come here," said Bill who was walking along side Charlie.

"I didn't send anything," said professor Dumbledore

"Here take a look," said Charlie handing a letter to Dumbledore who scanned it real fast before reading it out loud.

_Dear Bill and Charlie,_

_Please report to Hogwarts in the great hall immediately._

_Little-D_

"We thought the D stood for Dumbledore so we came right away." said Charlie

"Ya lucky I was visiting Charlie at the time or he would have had to come all the way from Romania to Egypt to get me," said Bill

"Well I assure you that I did not send it but since you are hear please take a seat," said Dumbledore

"What are we doing," said Charlie

"We are reading books about Harry's life," said Dumbledore

"How did you get them," asked Bill

"I don't know they just showed up in my office," said Dumbledore then he gestured for Draco to keep reading.

"**Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?" **

"**But if their house was destroyed —" **

"We have banks. We are civilized people," huffed Bill

"**They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold —an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."**

"**Wizards have **_**banks**_**?"**

"**Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins." **

**Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding. **

"_**Goblins**_**?"**

"Ha ha that's how I reacted only I had a glass of cold milk in my hands," said Hermione

"**Yeah— so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe — 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you —gettin' things from Gringotts — knows he can trust me, see." **

"**Got everythin'? Come on, then." **

**Harry followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm. **

"**How did you get here?" Harry asked, looking around for another boat. **

"**Flew," said Hagrid. **

"Flew."

"_**Flew**_**?"**

"Wierd"

"**Yeah— but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh." **

**They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying. **

"**Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Harry another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter — er — speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"**

"**Of course not," said Harry, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land. **

"**Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked. **

"Dont get any ideas Harry," said Fred. Harry just laughed.

"I'm not crazy enough to do that," laughed Harry

"**Spells— enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the high security vaults. And then yeh gotta find yer way — Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat." **

**Harry sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the **_**Daily Prophet**_**. Harry had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, he'd never had so many questions in his life. **

"Any rules you had at the Dursley's don't apply here," said Hermione through gritted teeth.

"**Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page. **

Fudge and Umbridge just glared at Hagrid who grinned back at them.

"**There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, before he could stop himself. **

"'**Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice." **

"**But what does a Ministry of Magic **_**do**_**?"**

"**Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country." **

"**Why?"**

"Witch burnings and your relatives," said Hermione

"_**Why?**_**Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone." **

"Thats a good reason to I suppose."

**At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street. **

**Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Harry couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Harry? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?" **

"**Hagrid," said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, "did you say there are **_**dragons **_**at Gringotts?" **

"**Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon." **

The golden trio shuddered.

"**You'd **_**like **_**one?"**

"**Wanted one ever since I was a kid — here we go." **

**They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," as he called it, gave the bills to Harry so he could buy their tickets. **

**People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent. **

"**Still got yer letter, Harry?" he asked as he counted stitches. **

**Harry took the parchment envelope out of his pocket. **

"**Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need." **

**Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night before, and read: **

_**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY **_

_**UNIFORM**_

_**First-year students will require: **_

_**sets of plain work robes (black)**_

_**2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear **_

_**3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) **_

_**4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings) **_

_**Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags **_

_**COURSE BOOKS **_

_**All students should have a copy of each of the following: **_

_**The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)by Miranda Goshawk **_

_**A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot **_

_**Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling **_

_**A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch **_

_**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore **_

_**Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger **_

_**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander **_

_**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble **_

_**OTHER EQUIPMENT **_

_**1 wand **_

_**1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) **_

_**1 set of glass or crystal phials **_

_**1 telescope set **_

_**1 brass scales **_

_**Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad **_

_**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS **_

"Worst rule ever," said Remus

"I thought you didn't like flying," said Harry

"I don't but James complained about it the whole first year. It drove me nuts," said Remus

"**Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud. **

"**If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid. **

**Harry had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow. **

"**I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops. **

"Easy, they don't know magic exists so they solve their problems other ways," said Dean

**Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Harry had to do was keep close behind him. **

**They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursleys had cooked up? If Harry hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of humor, he might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help trusting him. **

"Thanks Harry," said Hagrid," It must be hard for you to trust people, especially adults.

"Sometimes," muttered Harry

"**This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place." **

**It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and Hagrid could see it. Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered him inside. **

**For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. **

**The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?" **

"NO," said firmly.

"**Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle. **

"**Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "is this — can this be —?" **

**The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent. **

"**Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter…what an honor." **

"I was so confused," said Harry

"Why, Hagrid had already told you the story," said Dean

"I don't think it had sunken in yet," said Harry

**He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes. **

"**Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back." **

**Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming. **

**Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron. **

"**Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last." **

"**So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud." **

"**Always wanted to shake your hand — I'm all of a flutter." **

"**Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle." **

"**I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop." **

"Thats not what you say to people if you want them to leave you alone Harry," said Hermione kindly

"**He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!" Harry shook hands again and again— Doris Crockford kept coming back for more. **

**A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching. **

"**Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts." **

The trio glared at the book.

"**P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you." **

"His stutter was so annoying," said Draco

"**What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" **

"**D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought. **

**But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble. **

"**Must get on — lots ter buy. Come on, Harry." **

**Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. **

"I thought professor McGonagall had gone crazy when she brought me there," said Hermione

The hall laughed.

**Hagrid grinned at Harry. **

"**Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh — mind you, he's usually tremblin'."**

"**Is he always that nervous?" **

"**Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience…They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag — never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject — now, where's me umbrella?" **

**Vampires? Hags? Harry's head was swimming. Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can. **

"Great way to introduce him to magical creatures. Have a half-giant pick him up, take him to go see goblins, and tell him about vampires and hags. Whats next, get him a babysitter that is a troll," said Snape

The hall would have laughed but they were all to shocked by Snape actually being able to tell a joke. They also noticed that he didn't have that cold look in his eyes even though they still looked like empty tunnels.

"**Three up…two across…" he muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry." **

**He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella. **

**The brick he had touched quivered — it wriggled — in the middle, a small hole appeared — it grew wider and wider — a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight. **

"**Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley." **

**He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall. **

**The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons — All Sizes — Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver —Self-Stirring — Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them. **

"**Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first." **

**Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce, they're mad…" **

"That was me," laughed Mrs. Weasley

**A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium — Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of about Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "Look," Harry heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand — fastest ever —" There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon…**

"**Gringotts," said Hagrid. **

**They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was — **

"**Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them: **

_**Enter, stranger, but take heed**_

_**Of what awaits the sin of greed,**_

_**For those who take, but do not earn,**_

_**Must pay most dearly in their turn.**_

_**So if you seek beneath our floors**_

_**A treasure that was never yours,**_

_**Thief, you have been warned, beware**_

_**Of finding more than treasure there.**_

"I love that poem," sighed Angelina

"**Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid. **

**A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made for the counter. **

"**Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe." **

"**You have his key, sir?" **

"**Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose.**

"Goblins are neat freaks," smirked Bill

** Harry watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals. **

"**Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key. **

**The goblin looked at it closely. **

"**That seems to be in order." **

"**An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen." **

"Hagrid next time don't say that in front of the most curious wizard at Hogwarts," said Hermione. Hagrid blushed.

**The goblin read the letter carefully. **

"**Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!" **

**Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall. **

"**What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked. **

"See"

"**Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that." **

Got that right thought Umbridge

**Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in — Hagrid with some difficulty — and were off. **

**At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering. **

**Harry's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late — they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor. **

"**I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?" **

"Well a..." started Hermione but was interrupted by Ron

"It will tell us Hermione

"**Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid.**

"That works too," laughed Ron

** "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."**

**He did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees from trembling. **

**Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.**

"**All yours," smiled Hagrid. **

**All Harry's — it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from him faster than blinking. How often had they complained how much Harry cost them to keep? And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to him, buried deep under London. **

Mrs. Weasley scowled. Sure they didn't have a lot of money but she never blamed it on her kids or husband. It would just make them feel bad.

**Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag. **

"**The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?" **

"**One speed only," said Griphook. **

**They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and pulled him back by the scruff of his neck. **

**Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole. **

"**Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away. **

"**If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook. **

"**How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked. **

"**About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin. **

Most people shivered.

**Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Harry was sure, and he leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least — but at first he thought it was empty. Then he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask. **

"**Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid. **

**One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to run first now that he had a bag full of money. He didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole life — more money than even Dudley had ever had. **

"**Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous. **

"Hagrid you left him all alone?" asked Mrs. Weasley in a deadly whisper.

"Er- yes," said Hagrid sinking back in his chair

**Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve. **

"**Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here —another young man being fitted up just now, in fact." **

**In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length. **

"Is that you Malfoy," asked Ron

Malfoy scowled but kept reading even though the hall had burst into laughter.

"**Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?" **

"**Yes," said Harry. **

"**My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."**

"Bully your father," mouthed Snape to Draco. Draco just shrugged.

**Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley. **

"**Have **_**you **_**got your own broom?" the boy went on. **

"**No," said Harry. **

"**Play Quidditch at all?" **

"**No," Harry said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be. **

"_**I**_**do— Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"**

"Sure Malfoy sure," said Ron

"I'll have you know that I am on the team," said Draco

"Ya out of bribery," muttered Hermione

"**No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute. **

"**Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been — imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" **

"**Mmm," said Harry, wishing he could say something a bit more interesting. **

"**I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in. **

"Malfoy you have to think before you talk. I am sure you just offended Potter and if he had told an adult where would you be," scowled Snape

"**That's Hagrid," said Harry, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts." **

"**Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"**

"**He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less every second. **

"**Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of **_**savage**_**—lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed." **

"Uhh no actually that was me and James but we were just trying to have a good time and Hagrids Hut," said Remus

The hall laughed again. There third year teacher had set fire to Hagrids bed.

"**I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly. **

"_**Do**_**you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?" **

"**They're dead," said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy. **

"**Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all.**

"Why you little...," said Bill standing up but then he was pulled back down by Mr. Weasley.

** "But they were **_**ou r**_**kind, weren't they?" **

"**They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean." **

"**I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?" **

Snape suddenly stood up and ran at Malfoy who hopped up out of his chair and started running away from him in circles all around the room.

"You don't just go around saying that to people you bumble. If he had known what you meant he would have punched you in the face," snarled Snape

"Sorry sorry sorry," yelled Draco. Finlay Snape stopped chasing him and they both sat down. Half of the hall started laughing and the other half were in too much shock to move. Finally Draco stopped shaking enough to read.

**But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool. **

"**Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy. **

**Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts). **

"**What's up?" said Hagrid. **

"**Nothing," Harry lied. They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote. When they had left the shop, he said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?" **

"The horror," said Fred

"Our best," said George

"Seeker"

"Doesnt even know"

"What Quidditch is" finished Fred

"**Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know — not knowin' about Quidditch!" **

"**Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's. **

"—**and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in —"**

"See Draco now he is asking and adult. I f Hagrid would have known it was you you could have gotten in big trouble," said Snape

"**Yer not **_**from**_**a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh **_**were**_**—he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles — look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!" **

"True that," said Lee

"**So what **_**is **_**Quidditch?"**

"**It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like — like soccer in the Muggle world — everyone follows Quidditch — played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls — sorta hard ter explain the rules." **

"No it's not," yelled the Quidditch fans

"**And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?" **

"**School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but —" **

Hey," yelled the Hufflepuffs

"Sorry, didn't mean it that way."

"**I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said Harry gloomily. **

"**Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one." **

_Hmm well I guess if all I knew about the Slytherin house was that the guy that killed my parents was in it I would hate it too thought Snape._

"**Vol-,sorry —You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?" **

"**Years an' years ago," said Hagrid. **

**They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from **_**Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) **_**by Professor Vindictus Viridian. **

"**I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley." **

"Harry that s illegal," scolded Mrs. Weasley

"I know now plus even if it wasnt illegal I wouldn't do anything to harm him to bad. Just really scare him," laughed Harry

"**I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level." **

**Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says pewter on yer list"), but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell,**

**a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop). **

**Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry's list again. **

"**Just yer wand left — A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present." **

**Harry felt himself go red. **

"Harry its ok to accept birthday presents," said Hermione

"I know, I just wasnt used to it," said Harry. The future DA looked at him sadly.

"**You don't have to —" **

"**I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at —an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'." **

**Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. He couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell. **

"**Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. **

"Got that right," muttered Ginny. Harry sighed they were never going to get over this.

**Just Ollivanders left now — only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand." **

**A magic wand…this was what Harry had been really looking forward to. **

**The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.**

**A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. **

"I heard a rumor that its Merlin's wand," said Dean

"Well I read up...," said Hermione but Draco cut her off.

**A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he had entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic. **

"**Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair. **

**An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop. **

"**Hello," said Harry awkwardly. **

"**Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. **

**It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work." **

"How does he remember that," asked Dean

"Photographic memory," said Seamus

"Perfect job for Hermione then," laughed Ron

**Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy. **

"**Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it — it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course." **

**Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes. **

"**And that's where…" **

**Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger. **

"Creepy," said Dennis

"**I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands…well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…" **

**He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid. **

"**Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again…Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?" **

"**It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid. **

"**Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern. **

"**Er— yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly. **

"**But you don't **_**use**_**them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply. **

"**Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke. **

"Ha he still uses magic even though he was expelled," said Umbridge

"He was cleared of all charges in my 2nd year," said Harry through his teeth. This woman was really starting to get on his nerves.

"**Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now —Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?" **

"**Er— well, I'm right-handed," said Harry. **

"**Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand." **

Neville thought about that for a second. Maybe if he got a new wand instead of using his dads he would be better at magic.

**Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. **

**Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes. **

"**That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave." **

**Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once. **

"**Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —" **

**Harry tried — but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander. **

"**No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out." **

**Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become. **

"He does love a tricky customer," said Albus

"**Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination— holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."**

**Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. **

**He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks **

**shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well…how curious…how very curious…" **

**He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious…curious…" **

"**Sorry," said Harry, "but **_**what's **_**curious?"**

**Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare. **

"**I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you that scar." **

"Oh harry how come you never told us," asked Hermione

"I thought you would think it was creepy," said Harry

"Well its interesting but that doesn't change who you are Harry," said Ron

"I wonder why you got that wand though. Maybe I can find something in the library...," Hermione trailed off in thought.

The rest of the hall was surprised but for most of them it didn't change their opinion of Harry in any way.

**Harry swallowed. **

"**Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember…I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter…After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great." **

"Did he just say Voldemort was great," said Minnie

"No he just meant the magic involved," said Harry

**Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. **

**He paid seven gold Galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop. **

**The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; he didn't even notice how much people were gawking at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on Harry's lap. Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; Harry only realized where they were when Hagrid tapped him on the shoulder. **

"**Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said. **

**He bought Harry a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow. **

"**You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid. **

**Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He'd just had the best birthday of his life.**

Mrs. Weasley smiled at him.

—**and yet — he chewed his hamburger, trying to find the words. **

"**Everyone thinks I'm special," **

"You are special Harry," said most of the hall and even Snape said it under his breath.

**he said at last. "All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander…but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry — I mean, the night my parents died." **

"Its ok, you will understand soon book Harry," said Hermione

"Who wants to tell her she is talking to a book," asked Ron

"Not me," said all the boys

**Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile. **

"**Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts — I did — still do, 'smatter of fact." **

Dumbledore smiled. He hoped it was like that for every student.

**Hagrid helped Harry on to the train that would take him back to the Dursleys, **

"No you can't send him back Hagrid," said Hermione

"Relax Hermione I survived," said Harry

"Ya but I bet it was awful," said Hermione

Harry shrugged. She wasnt wrong there.

**then handed him an envelope. **

"**Yer ticket fer Hogwarts, " he said. "First o' September — King's Cross — it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me…. See yeh soon, Harry." **

**The train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against the window, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone.**

Ok, who is reading next," said Draco

"Whats the name of the chapter," asked Harry

"Shouldnt you know, these are your thought," said Draco

"Just tell me the chapter name," said Harry

"Fine its the journey from platform nine and three quarters' said Draco

Harry smiled.

"Ok give it to Ron."

"I hate reading."


End file.
